SGKV and PTV Aim for Unified Timetable in Combined Transport

The Study Society for Combined Transport e.V. (SGKV) and the PTV Group are launching an initiative to make connections in multimodal freight transport visible. The goal is to develop a unified timetable (EiFa) for Combined Transport (KV) in close collaboration with the industry.

(Berlin) Unlike multimodal passenger transport, the routes for goods transport by rail and water still largely represent a black box today. This significantly hinders potential customers from switching to these environmentally friendly modes of transport. Currently, it is not possible for IT platforms to make the existing connections of various providers in Combined Transport transparently accessible, as not all KV operators publish their networks, and if they do, they do so in a highly inconsistent manner. Additionally, inconsistent naming of KV terminals leads to inefficiencies in operational processes.

Uniform Data Formats and Interfaces

The aim of the project is to agree on uniform content (including terminal coding), data formats, and interfaces for the timetables in collaboration with the industry. The feasibility study is funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) as part of the innovation initiative mFUND with around 90,000 euros and is designed for one year. Numerous KV operators, KV terminals, and other stakeholders have already expressed their willingness to collaborate on the development.